Hold onto your hats, wrestling fans and streaming enthusiasts! It seems like WWE's move to Netflix is a knockout success, outperforming even some of the biggest live sports events on the platform. The numbers are in, and they're impressive.
According to a report by Wayne Friedman of MediaPost, subscribers who signed up to watch WWE Raw on Netflix are sticking around longer than those who tuned in for one-off events like the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight or the NFL Christmas Day games. Specifically, the churn rate – the percentage of subscribers who cancel their subscriptions – was only 18.2% after 60 days for Raw. Compare that to 25.6% for the Tyson-Paul bout and 27.2% for the NFL Christmas Day games.
Now, you might be thinking, "Well, Raw is a weekly show, so people are more likely to stay subscribed." And you'd be right! The recurring nature of the program certainly gives it an advantage. But even so, these figures are a clear indication of why Netflix was so eager to partner with WWE in the first place. This is a win-win situation for both parties.
But here's where it gets really interesting: Raw is averaging a whopping 6.5 million viewing hours per broadcast, which is two and a half hours long. While this isn't directly comparable to Nielsen's average minute audience measurement (because Netflix streams Raw in 12 markets globally), the total viewing hours for the first half of 2025 are staggering. Raw has racked up 88.6 million total viewing hours, placing it third overall, behind only titles like Adolescence and Squid Games, which are available in every single market.
This is a significant achievement, especially considering that Raw isn't available everywhere. It's safe to say that Netflix is thrilled with the first year of its WWE deal.
And this is the part most people miss... The success of Raw on Netflix could signal a shift in how streaming services view live sports and entertainment. Is this the beginning of a new era?
What do you think? Are you surprised by these numbers? Do you think the weekly format is the key to Raw's success on Netflix, or is there something more at play? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
